Chapter 47

Shen Chutang looked at him with a confused expression, her dull eyes full of doubt. She silently asked: What’s good?

“Tangtang is good. Tangtang will get better soon.” Shi Chengyu seemed to see the confusion in her eyes and said softly. He took her hand and held it in his palm, using his fingers to circle her wrist. “Be good, you’re too skinny.”

He didn’t hide the heartache in his voice. She had finally recovered her health a while ago, but overnight, she seemed to have returned to her previous state, even worse than before.

Shen Chutang was weak and only moved her fingers, using her pinky to hook his finger.

“Tangtang will get better soon.” Shi Chengyu said it again, hooking his finger with her slender pinky. “Pinky swear.”

“When Tangtang gets better, you can do whatever you want. Whatever you want to know, I’ll tell you.”

“Brother Chengyu swears, I won’t hide anything from you anymore.”

Shen Chutang’s fingers moved occasionally, as if responding to him. She wasn’t feeling well and dozed on and off all afternoon.

Shi Chengyu stayed with her all afternoon. When she was awake, he read to her. When she fell asleep, he put her in bed and stayed by her side. Sometimes, he wouldn’t say anything, just holding her and gently patting and rocking her.

The next morning, Xie Tong came to visit after taking a day off. Shen Chutang hadn’t been to school for two days. Xie Tong was worried sick, but whenever she called, Shen Chutang was asleep. Today, she came directly.

Shen Chutang still wasn’t feeling well. She couldn’t eat much and ate very little at every meal. When Xie Tong came, she happened to see Shi Chengyu holding a bowl of red bean soup, ready to go in.

Seeing Xie Tong, Shi Chengyu asked the maid to send another bowl of red bean soup. “Please, try to get her to eat more.”

His methods of coaxing her no longer worked on Shen Chutang. He had coaxed her for a long time before persuading her to trade the ice cream for red bean soup.

Xie Tong nodded. “Don’t worry.”

The red bean soup in the bowl was thick and soft, with milk added. Xie Tong put a bowl in front of her. “Tangtang, try it quickly, it’s delicious.”

Xie Tong ate with a big mouthful, her cheeks puffed up. Shen Chutang looked at her and gave a faint smile. Her voice was still hoarse. “Be careful, it’s hot.”

“It’s not hot anymore. Eat quickly. Look at you, you’re so sick.” Xie Tong urged her. “I feel like I could punch you and you’d fall apart.”

“I know.”

Shen Chutang replied, then slowly picked up the spoon and began to eat.

Shi Chengyu watched from outside the door and laughed. The sunlight shone through the window and fell on her face. Her face was as white as if it would glow. Her lips were pale, but at least she was finally able to eat something.

“Chengyu.”

Shi Chengyu turned around and saw Shen Yanheng standing at the end of the corridor. He turned around. “Big brother.”

Shen Yanheng waved to him. “Come with me, I have something to talk to you about.”

Shi Chengyu glanced back, gently closing the door. “Okay.”

They sat down at the tea table in the study. Shi Chengyu casually started to brew tea.

“I heard about what happened at the banquet the other day.” Shen Yanheng looked at him quietly, his whole body exuding an aura of authority. He had been in a high position for many years, and the pressure he carried was hard to ignore.

“I apologize for Tangtang’s behavior. She has a bit of a temper and has never been restrained since she was a child.”

“Big brother, it’s not Tangtang’s fault. I did wrong. I also made Tangtang sick. I should apologize.” Shi Chengyu handed him a cup of tea. “Tangtang is very good like this.”

Shen Yanheng nodded. “There’s one more thing.”

“I’ve watched you grow up. You’ve always been meticulous and courteous in your actions. You never leave any room for people to criticize you.” Shen Yanheng picked up his teacup and took a sip. He paused for a moment, then asked, “I heard you skipped Shi’s high-level meeting?”

“Yes.”

Shen Yanheng sighed slightly. Shi Chengyu was always faultless in his actions, but whenever it came to Shen Chutang, he could never calm down.

“I understand that you grew up with Tangtang and care about her deeply. But sometimes, you still need to prioritize your own affairs. Don’t expose your weaknesses to the outside world.”

In other words, don’t involve Shen Chutang.

Shi Chengyu nodded. “I understand, big brother.”

Of course, he wouldn’t let anyone catch him doing anything wrong. After he came back, he had Lin Shulang drive around the Grand Hyatt for a while.

“Tangtang has grown up, but she still does whatever she wants. She’s been clingy since she was little. Don’t take it to heart. There are some things that we, her older brothers, aren’t suitable to talk about. I’ll have Wenxian talk to her later.”

When Shen Chutang was a child, she wasn’t healthy. They practically carried her on their backs and in their arms as she grew up. When she got a little older, she always had someone holding her hand when she walked.

But Shi Chengyu wasn’t her real brother. He was ultimately different from them.

He wouldn’t tell Shen Chutang why it was wrong or inappropriate to do this. He would only remind Shi Chengyu to be careful. He could hug her, he could hold her hand, but he shouldn’t have any inappropriate thoughts.

Shi Chengyu thought about it for a moment and smiled slightly. “Big brother, don’t worry, you don’t need to have anyone talk to Tangtang. As long as she’s happy, that’s all that matters.”

“Okay.” Shen Yanheng replied. The teapot on the table was still steaming. “Then I’ll go back first. You two take good care of Tangtang.”

Shi Chengyu stood up and saw him out. “Okay, big brother, take care on the road.”

“Tangtang, how did you get so sick?” Xie Tong looked at her almost porcelain-white skin. She used to dare to rub her face, but now she was so careful that she didn’t dare to touch her.

After finishing a bowl of red bean soup, Shen Chutang’s complexion improved. She had a faint smile on her lips. After hearing Xie Tong’s words, she frowned slightly, but didn’t say anything.

Xie Tong saw her troubled expression and said, “Okay, don’t say it if you don’t want to. It’s okay.”

Shen Chutang asked, “Homework, a lot?”

Xie Tong burst out laughing. “You’re like this and you’re still thinking about homework? Look at you, which hand can you write with?”

Shen Chutang looked down. Both of her hands were swollen. At first, the needle was inserted into her left hand, and it swelled up in less than a day. Then it was changed to her right hand, and now her right hand was also swollen.

“Okay, what’s there to worry about with your grades? If it really doesn’t work, you can ask me to be your teacher. All you have to do is provide meals!” Xie Tong patted her chest. “I will definitely teach you well!”

Shen Chutang smiled foolishly. “Okay.”

“Tangtang~” Xie Tong gently pinched her cheek. “You’re kind of cute like this.”

The maid knocked on the door and came in. “Miss Xie, our young lady should rest.”

“Okay.” Xie Tong quickly got off the bed. “Tangtang, rest well. I’ll come back to accompany you tonight.”

Shen Chutang nodded obediently, watching her leave, then watched Shi Chengyu come in.

Shi Chengyu sat down on the edge of the bed. “Go to sleep now?” Seeing that she didn’t move, he held her in his arms. He felt a little sore. “Tangtang smiled today. Are you happy that Xie Tong came?”

Shen Chutang leaned against him, slowly saying, “Xie Tong said she’ll come to be my teacher.”

“Okay.” Shi Brother Chengyuntly rubbed her hand. “I’ll have someone pay her a salary later.”

Xie Tong was a die-hard money-lover. She had secretly told Shen Chutang that she had saved a lot of money, but she didn’t know what she was going to do with it.

Thinking about this, Shen Chutang’s lips curved up and she smiled faintly.

Shi Chengyu saw her smile and laughed softly. “Okay, go to sleep for a while.”

Shi Chengyu coaxed her to sleep before letting the doctor come in. The IV drip was given while Shen Chutang was asleep. By the time she woke up, it was almost over, making her as comfortable as possible.